The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-07
Gov. McGill's inaugural

The now governor of Minnesota delivered
the following inaugural address TO the two
houses of the Legislature in joint session:
ISAUGURAL ApDREssl
Senators and Representatives: In assuming
the duties Of the Office OF goverrbr, to which
have becn duly chosen by the electors OF the
state. IL becomes my duty, In accordance with
well established custom, to address, You on such
matters of public concern rs appear 10 me
worthy Of your attention and cons federation. But
first desire to bear testimony TO the ability and
fidelity with which the duties of the position
have been administered during the last i've
years by my predecessor, Gov. tiubeSrd. his
message. 10 which You have just tistened. IA the
closing act OF an administration that honors
alike himself and our great state which ne has
30 faithfully served. and entities hiin TO the
'haHf FoHiG ssi'S rfiE RSSRS rnrp
By reading the platforms OF tho twf leading
political parties of this state. adopted in their
conventions held in September LAST, VIII be
observed that liberal promises weret made In
both. On u number OF subjedts theF seem 60
have been ia full accord. For instanie, In re-
spect TO establishing a home for disabled ana
needy survivors OF the Union army in eur state;
the abolishing OF the contract system OF prison
labor; the amendment Of our railroad and ware
house laws. where nesdtd. to secure RELIEF 10 the
agricultural classes; the establishments OF
state bureau OF labor Statistical. and tn other
matters .gere appears TO have been I division
Of sentiment. ] am bound TO believe that both
conversions were sincere IA their deesaratlons
elected on the platform OF ore or the othor OF
the two great parties, are here in COED faith 10
redeem tno PLEDGES made: ! 6eliess tnss sne
tulhliment OF these declarations, and for one
stand ready 20 do my part 10 carry them out In
for legislatures 10 disregard tile issues which
they were elected. let the custom no broken
Honesty and good faith IN o political party are
as much to be admired as ltRf -att.!t ntesfn an
individual.
RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.
The subject OF tsansportasiou--of reasonable
tariff rates on our rairoads-Is OF supreme in
Lerest to the people Of the state. and I lave no
douot will secure youT earnest attention. The
right OF the legislature 90 bass laws for the
supervision of railroads has been for a number
CT years well settled. THIS right was not, how
ever established without severe aud protracIe cd
struggle. well remember taat when in $40 it
was first advocated by the then governor Of this
state, in message tn the s7islature. the propo-
sition was received with mrt "a doRbt Net only
all the railroad officials and capitalists opposed
it, but q large majority Of the lawyers OF the
state antagonizsd 1t as IN conflict with the
fundamental law OF the land and opposed to the
genius or our institutions. However, In the fol-
and with the approval Of the governor became q
law fixing ratios. both freight and passenger
About the same time similar Legislation was an
acted in several other Northwestern states.
Suits were instituted in thus state in 1lltnois,
and perhaps in some other Of the North
western states. under the so-salled
companies for the violation Of those
laws. The enactments wero experimental and
no doubt crude and ul-adaptedl TO the exlgen-
cies OF the situation. bus they served the pur-
pose or securing judicial sanction and yindiea-
ton of the right Of legislative control The
judicial decisions obtained under them not only
III the state courts but in tie. supreme court OF
the United States as well, set He'd forever tho
constitutionality Of such laws and confirmed
the authority OF the Legislature Thus was es-
tabl.shed one Of the most impo taut rights ever
secured q free people. Tie exp diency of state
supervision over railroad and inbred corpora
lions has sometimes been do bted since then,
but the right Is no longer questioned.
DO not take it to be the policy OF the state to
needlessiy Interfere with or to hGrass any great
interest. and more especially the railroad inter-
ests of the commonwealth. That railroads have
become indispensable TO commercial and aQri-
cultural prosperity, II not to the very existence
of the civilization Of the century. no one needs
any longer to be told To elm mate them would
be To turn back the wheels Of progress to the
very portals OF the dark ages ltkt their supreme
Importance makes IL only the more essential
that they should be so judIciopsly MANAGED and
and usefulness OF which they are capable, not
simply as wealth producers To their managers
and prourietors. but engines powerful for
good to tho masses Of the people rs we'll
The very fact that every city. town and village
strive for the most ample railroad facilities Ia
ANY movement TO Cypress or cripple these inter
ests, simply to satisfy popular clamor. would
not only be unjust to the roads, but ruinous TO
the people themselves TheEe Is often wide
but honest divergence OF opinion between the
masses who use and desire 70 profit by the roads
and their managers and owners. They view
matters from different staSldpoints, and often
each does the other injustice. The duty Of the
state is To find the middle Sground-the happy
mean between the extremsS--and having found
it, there to establish, Nth firm but impartial
hand. the great and oftep itricate relations be-
tween the railroads an Use who furnish them